Just finished one night stay here in an attempt to get away from all the smoke filling California's central valley.
So this was a quick getaway for the family and prices in Berkeley are much cheaper than across the bridge in San Francisco.

We spend the day prior to arrival at the beach in Pacifica and other points of interest south of SF. We arrived at the hotel around 7pm after some very confusing offramps on University which only allow you to head south into town (and no U-turns) rather than north to the marina/hotel location.

Eventually we made a big annoying circle and made it back to the hotel - and for what it is worth, I wish the city of Berkeley would repave the road leading to the hotel - its so bumpy and rough.

We arrived at the hotel only to find out that they have given our Suite away to another customer because I "arrived so late" (7pm is so late?). Nevermind the note in my reservations that said I would be arriving in the evening. So it took about 10 minutes for them to locate suitable alternate accomodations - another suite but with less beds (I was traveling with the family). To the Doubletree's credit (the person at the front counter, not the manager!) they did give me a discount.

So we got to our room. It was nice - not as spacious as other suites I have stayed in, but nice. Very clean and the furniture and bedding were all fairly new (and carpet). We got the kids settled down and I returned to the car to unpack more. This is when I first noticed the "chime". The hotel sits at the marina, and thus a navigation chime is necessary so ships dont run aground in the fun. No one mentioned the chime to me on arrival, and I spent the next 10 minutes trying to figure out what was "on" in my car that was chiming. This is kind of comical, I admit, but I eventually gave up and figured I would return to a dead battery in my car.
I went back to the room and that is when I finally noticed the small placard on the desk that told you all about the beloved Berkeley chime. Well, okay, at least I wasnt going nuts.
for what it is worth, the chime is not as audible in the room, but I was also at the other end of the hotel from the marina. My wife said it annoyed her a bit. We arent complaining about it, but were not aware of it, never read about it on the hotel's website (perhaps I didnt search for annoying noises good enough), and like I said, no one at the front desk was nice enough to say "hey, by the way, that noise you may start to hear is a chime". I mean, I cant be the first guy ever who was unaware of the chime (and probably not the first to go crazy in the parking lot looking for it).

Again the room was very nice, housekeeping and bellhop staff was exceptionally nice, the lady at the front counter (Ray?) finding me a room was honest and professional (despite being so frazzled by management's willingness to give my room away apparently 30 minutes prior to my arrival). My wife and daughted used the pool and said it was nice. Other than the beloved chime, our stay was quiet (except when baby woke up).

While the location is convenient to cross the bridge to SF or just enjoy Berkeley, Emeryville, and Oakland - getting on and off I-80 to and from the hotel was frustrating. Signs were not marked well and one way streets made for a lot of adventure just getting to our hotel. Small beans, but still annoying (and the city's fault, not the Doubletree's).

oh, they forgot my signature Doubletree chocolate chip cookies upon arrival. When I asked for them the next day at check out, I was questioned beyond belief. No I didnt get my cookies, and yes you have 983405834095834 of them in that drawer.. hand em over! :-)

So a nice place. Management giving away my room was not cool and honestly disheartening. The in and out is a bit confusing at first. But hey, now you have been forewarned about the beloved Berkeley chime. Hopefully I have helped you spare some sanity at my own expense.

We stayed at this Doubletree after a day of sight seeing in San Francisco on the tail end of a week long trip to Yosemite. To be honest, the main reason I booked here is that I was able to get it for free at a good "rate" with some hotel points. My expectations after reading some of the earlier reviews were not high, but I figured we could tolerate any inconveniences for a a free night.

Our experience however was actually very pleasant. We arrived late on Friday aftenoon. Check in went smoothly, and in addition to the usual Doubletree cookies, we received a "goody" bag with snacks and juices because we were first time guests. The remaining construction that is going on appears to be only around the lobby/main buiding, and it had stopped for the weekend. Our room was in building 2, and we found that we were able to walk back to the lobby and hotel restaurant using connected walkways, avoiding the damp and chilly air of that evening. The harbor chime was noticable, but certainly not something that distrubed our rest or sleep. We found the location, on the Berkeley Marina, to be a very a nice and peaceful "retreat" after spending the day across the bay in San Francisco. We had breakfast in the hotel restaurant the next morning, which was very good but a bit on the pricey side.

Overall this turned out to be a very nice stay, especially after bracing myself for a bad one based on other reviews. Would definitely stay here again if in the area.

We just got back from staying at this hotel. We had read some reviews and were a little leary. When we tired to check into our room, it was not ready. We had read in past reviews this happened to other people. Within 10 minutes another room was found for us (not the king size bed we requested but 2 doubles). We thought oh no, the reviews were right. Pleasantly we were very happy with our room and the surroundings. The renovations were still going on but only to the little gift shop and some awnings were being added, but it appeared all the rooms were completed. The bathroom was great. The hotel staff were all pleasant and courteous, There is a van that will take you anywhere in Berkeley, which is a big plus. The restaurant has a good breakfast buffet, a little pricey, but with the nice view and friendly staff it was well worth it. Looking at other hotels in the area, this is going to be our hotel of choice. I highly recommend this hotel. The only bad thing is the fog chime that goes off about every 10 seconds, but after awhile you tend to ignore it.

It's difficult to know whether YOU will like this hotel or not. I do. I've stayed here a few times, often during multi-day visits to the SF Bay area. The hotel is undergoing renovation, but this has been going on for a while (and will likely continue for a while longer). Different parts of the hotel, nearly a “motel,” with its rambling low rise buildings placed on inconsistently landscaped grounds. Mostly, I like the location – right at the Berkeley Marina. I also like the price. The dining room faces the marina and the bay (glass walls with bright and pleasant views). Recreational facilities (two indoor pools) are sparse but seem adequate. The rooms range from too many coats of paint on too old of walls with old odd-fitting furniture to “standard hotel décor.” I like the older ones, with ill-fitting closet doors, uneven carpet, and more (really!). There is much more character here than in the cookie-cutter rooms of most modern inns. There are splashes of elegance, as well, throughout the hotel. Parking is free, as is the Internet in the public areas. Though on the “wrong side of the bay,” it’s reasonably close to downtown SF, as it is to Northern Marin County (different bridge). It’s in an area that is uncrowded, open, and spacious, compared to just about everything else this close to San Francisco.

In sum, I like the Double Tree Berkeley Marina, but I’m not sure you will. You might try it for a night and see what you think. The price is quite low, and it’s a sort of funky fun. The staff are pleasant and seem to try hard. When I’m in SF, I try to stay here at least one night (before moving to a more predictable, less funky, but less fun property).